Bhopal, October 24 — A fire broke out in an underground Think Gas piped natural gas (PNG) pipeline in Bhopal's Chhola area on Saturday afternoon, sending flames up to about 10 feet high and triggering panic among residents and commuters near the bridge, Dainik Jagran reported. The incident occurred around 12.30 pm where construction work was under way.

Source: Dainik Jagran English

According to eyewitness accounts reported by Jagran, excavation by a JCB machine may have damaged the underground line, causing a leak that caught fire. Urban Acres, in a separate report placing the fire near the pipeline at Bhanpur bridge, said garbage and other material near the pipeline caught fire in the afternoon. The exact cause has not been confirmed: Think Gas said the circumstances were still under investigation, and preliminary suggestions that burning garbage or debris near the line may have started the fire remain unconfirmed.

Source: Urban Acres

Police moved people away from the affected area as a precaution, and the Chhola fire team responded to the emergency. Fire brigade in-charge Saurabh Patel said one fire tender was sent to the site and the blaze was brought under control within about 15 to 20 minutes. Firefighters used water to control the flames, but the fire was fully extinguished only after the gas line was shut off in coordination with Think Gas, the reports said.

Source: Dainik Jagran English

~12.30 pmTime the fire was reported on Saturday
~10 feetReported height of the flames
15–20 minTime to bring the blaze under control

Supply shut as a precaution, restored in phases

Think Gas, the company operating the pipeline, said its emergency response team reached the site immediately, took the necessary safety measures and began repair and restoration work after the fire was controlled. The supply, shut off as a safety measure while the situation was assessed, was subsequently restored in a phased manner, the company said. Neither report mentioned injuries or damage to nearby buildings.

Source: Urban Acres

Jagran noted that a similar pipeline leakage was reported outside Shahpura police station a few months ago. Whether excavation directly damaged the pipeline on Saturday will need confirmation from the authorities and the gas company, the report said.